The present invention relates broadly to motion upholstery furniture designed to support a user's body in an essentially seated disposition. Motion upholstery furniture includes recliners, incliners, sofas, love seats, sectionals, theater seating, traditional chairs, and chairs with a moveable seat portion, such furniture pieces being referred to herein generally as “seating units.” More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved linkage mechanism developed to accommodate a seating unit that acts as a rocker recliner. Accordingly, the improved linkage mechanism of the present invention provides for reclining the seating unit while accommodating operation of a rocker mechanism.
Reclining seating units exist that allow a user to forwardly extend a footrest or ottoman and to recline a backrest relative to a seat. These existing seating units typically provide three basic positions: a standard, non-reclined closed position; an extended position; and a reclined position. In the closed position, the seat resides in a generally horizontal orientation and the backrest is disposed substantially upright. Additionally, if the seating unit includes an ottoman attached with a mechanical arrangement, the mechanical arrangement is collapsed such that the ottoman is not extended. In the extended position, often referred to as a television (“TV”) position, the ottoman is extended forward of the seat, and the backrest remains sufficiently upright to permit comfortable television viewing by an occupant of the seating unit. In the reclined position the backrest is positioned rearward from the extended position into an obtuse relationship with the seat for lounging or sleeping.
Several modern rocker recliners presently in the industry are adapted to provide the adjustment capability described above. However, these rocker recliners require relatively complex linkage mechanisms to afford this capability. The complex linkage assemblies limit certain design aspects utilized by furniture manufacturers, such as incorporation of a motor to provide powered adjustment. In particular, these present rocker-recliner linkage assemblies impose constraints on attaching a motor that can achieve full adjustment between the three positions above without interfering with internal crossbeams or limiting movement of the rocker mechanism. Accordingly, the present invention introduces a novel linkage mechanism that allows a rocker-recliner-style seating unit to provide the features of full powered adjustment between the three positions above without interfering with crossbeams or the operation of the rocker mechanism.